Raising Baby Chicks: What’s Your Go-To Method?

[Bantam bell Wood]

This thread is not meant to be used as a chat thread but I make an exception. You find your answer in @Perris’s article : https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/wholesome-homemade-feed-2.79307/

I will try to better understand when a thread is not supposed to have comments. Thank you.

 

[Vicker]

There are pros and cons to using a broody vs doing it myself. It depends on what's going on in my life as to which method I need to use. In 20 years, I've only had two pasty butts, and they resolved after a couple of days of cleaning hineys. I brood outside in pine shavings and don't use heat lamps unless it's unusually cold. I elevate feeders and waterers to reduce waste. Some chicks are more challenging to stay ahead of in preventing waste. If not using a broody, I let the chicks out under supervision at just a few days old. I get them on the same 20% flock raiser feed that the big birds eat at about 3 wks.

 

[Almosta Farm]

Few things bring as much joy (and chaos!) to a backyard flock as raising baby chicks. From their first tiny peeps to those awkward teenage weeks, every stage is an adventure. But with that cuteness comes plenty of decisions and sometimes a few challenges!

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?
What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?
Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?
How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?
And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Everyone has their own tried-and-true tricks, and new chick parents are always eager to learn. Share your experiences, tips, funny stories, and even mistakes (we’ve all been there!).

Let’s help each other raise happy, healthy chicks because those little fluffballs grow fast, and before we know it, they’re ruling the roost!

View attachment 4225325

Absolutely broody hen ... let mama do the work.

 

[Vulpes vulpes]

One thing to keep in mind for those who incubate/brooder raise chicks: around the 11th day of life, broody raised chicks will begin voluntarily going out of sight of their mother. As it turns out, they're going through a very important milestone in their cognitive development. Research shows that this is the time where they're beginning to develop their ability to orient themselves in their environment. These "occlusion experiences" where they must navigate to something they cannot see (their mother) really improves their spatial awareness later in life, and chicks that miss this window tend to make wrong turns and become lost more easily as adults. If you're raising chicks in a brooder, you can make sure your chicks have these experiences by placing objects that block their view in the brooder--curtains, hiding places, tunnels, whatever--before the 11 day mark. If the chicks have the opportunity, they will explore these areas, which develops their navigational "software" and really helps them as adults. You do need to have a big enough brooder for this to work, but there is real, scientifically measurable benefit to doing this.

Work cited:
Freire, Rafael, et al. “Development of Spatial Memory in Occlusion-Experienced Domestic Chicks.” Animal Behaviour, vol. 67, no. 1, Jan. 2004, pp. 141–150, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2003.03.015.

Edit: typo

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have only ever used a heat lamp but I really want to try a brooder plate instead... whats the differences and benefits pros and cons?

I don't use a brooder plate (I use a heating pad) but those are similar in principle.

Both of the above more closely mimic how a hen raises chicks - it provides a warm area to warm up, but allows the rest of the space to be cooler so chicks aren't under constant heat. They also don't provide constant light so provided you use natural light instead, the chicks have a true day to night cycle from the start.

Both are less of a fire risk in that they can't shatter and set bedding on fire, they can't be knocked over and set bedding bedding on fire, etc.

One thing to keep in mind for those who incubate/brooder raise chicks: around the 11th day of life, broody raised chicks will begin voluntarily going out of sight of their mother. As it turns out, they're going through a very important milestone in their cognitive development. Research shows that this is the time where they're beginning to develop their ability to orient themselves in their environment. These "occlusion experiences" where they must navigate to something they cannot see (their mother) really improves their spatial awareness later in life, and chicks that miss this window tend to make wrong turns and become lost more easily as adults.

Very interesting! I aim to give my human raised chicks their first outing at around 10 days or so, but that's more because I want them out of the brooder and interacting with the flock full time at around 14 days old or so - and yes they very quickly learn to navigate around the coop and run and to return to their brooder for food, water, safety and heat. I wasn't aware of this developmental consideration!

 

[CabritaChicks]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Brooder- that way I feel I can bond with them better, and keep a very close eye on them.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

The first couple weeks I use a towel in a clear bin, with whole paper towels a couple layers on top. It is adsorbent, and when the chicks make a mess of the of something, I can take a layer of paper towel up. Then every night (or every other night) I change the towel.

But I should add: I always have had my chicks in small batches- 5 or less at a time so it is very manageable. At a few weeks old I switch to shavings.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

I loath and warn about the red heat lamp everyone uses: chicks have tetrachromatic vision- so they can see the red light... it is not 'calming' it is just better than white or blue. It can cause issues like disrupted sleep, overstimulation, and confusion about temperature since they’re drawn to the light rather than the heat gradient (and they end up overheated). Using a ceramic or reptile-style colorless heat emitter is far better—it provides warmth without visible light, allowing chicks to experience proper day-night cycles, rest deeply, and develop more naturally. During the night they have a nightlight in the room (light a bright full moon level), and they are near a window during the day so the sun naturally rises and sets.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

They start out in a plastic tote with a rotation of natural items, including low perches from day one. I keep the tote in the main living space and adjacent utility room so they get used to movement, noise, and daily life beyond their little “prison.” Once they no longer need such strict temperature control, I move them into a dog crate mounted on a dolly—so it can roll right back into the living room for supervised chaos and exercise as they learn to fly/jump and flutter across the floor. Eventually, the crate goes outdoors for a few hours each day so they can acclimate to the natural atmosphere (about 5 weeks old). And then, finally—comes introduction time where they are separated, but together.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

The biggest challenges are stress, weakened gut immune system and improper temp- so I cant stress the hot/cooler area and the proper heating device, so I always provide probiotic water and focus on positive interaction. I’ve only ever had one chick show mild issues upon arrival—most likely from travel stress—but a good cleanup and a dose of probiotics cleared it right up.

I also provide them with outdoor materials from the get-go: real soil with fodder growing in it. I think it helps build good gut biome (I write a lot of articles on the subject).

 

[kattabelly]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Both have their benefits. Broodies are less work, make integration easier and do a better job of teaching baby chickens how to chicken than I ever could, but there isn't always a broody hen available.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

Wood pellets

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

Only ever used a heat plate or broody hen for chicks, long-term. Short-term, I sometimes use my own body heat for early hatchers or chicks needing extra care.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

Trips outside usually start at two days old. If there are older chickens around, they're kept separate through a fence or some other kind of barrier at that stage. How soon I let them start being in together and how I go about doing that really depends on a few things.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

I've never seen pasty butt in over a decade of being around and caring for chickens and hadn't even heard of it before reading about it on here.

 

[CabritaChicks]

One thing to keep in mind for those who incubate/brooder raise chicks: around the 11th day of life, broody raised chicks will begin voluntarily going out of sight of their mother. As it turns out, they're going through a very important milestone in their cognitive development. Research shows that this is the time where they're beginning to develop their ability to orient themselves in their environment. These "occlusion experiences" where they must navigate to something they cannot see (their mother) really improves their spatial awareness later in life, and chicks that miss this window tend to make wrong turns and become lost more easily as adults. If you're raising chicks in a brooder, you can make sure your chicks have these experiences by placing objects that block their view in the brooder--curtains, hiding places, tunnels, whatever--before the 11 day mark. If the chicks have the opportunity, they will explore these areas, which develops their navigational "software" and really helps them as adults. You do need to have a big enough brooder for this to work, but there is real, scientifically measurable benefit to doing this.

Work cited:
Freire, Rafael, et al. “Development of Spatial Memory in Occlusion-Experienced Domestic Chicks.” Animal Behaviour, vol. 67, no. 1, Jan. 2004, pp. 141–150, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2003.03.015.

Edit: typo

I agree with this- That is why my brooder looks more like a circus jungle gym. I grab wild branches, leaves, giant conch shells, herbs- you name it. It also teaches them to peck at more than just crumbles and evade predators

 

[Evadig]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

I’d much prefer a broody hen. Chicks are cute inside but man alive I get tired of singing them to sleep at night!

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

Regular pine shavings.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

In the beginning I used the big heat lamp from TSC. By the second or third brood I had figured out it was way too hot so I switched to a small reptile heat lamp. Much better!!

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

They have lots of day trips outside. In winter I bring the big hens inside (a couple at a time) so they get used to each other. Once the night temperatures are safe for them to go out without heat, I put them out in their own pen inside the main coop.

At first I was so very worried they’d run off if I let them out. I made a big pen and widened it a bit more every few days. Ten broods later I kept them in their coop with an attached pen a few days so they learned where home was and then let them out to free range.

They all integrated themselves into the main flock eventually.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Somewhere back in my thread someone gave me good advice, but I can’t remember what it is now.